Bullying Definitions

Bullying is defined by Indiana Code 20-33-8-0.2 to mean overt, unwanted, repeated acts or gestures, including verbal or written communications or images transmitted in any manner (including digitally or electronically), physical acts committed, aggression or any other behaviors that are committed by a student or group of students against another student with the intent to harass, ridicule, humiliate, intimidate or harm the other targeted student and create for the targeted student an objectively hostile school environment that:

1. places the targeted student in reasonable fear of harm to the targeted student's person or property;
2. has a substantially detrimental effect on the targeted student's physical or mental health;
3. has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's academic performance; or
4. has the effect of substantially interfering with the targeted student's ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, and privileges provided by the school.

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying, as defined by Indiana Code 20-19-3-11.5, refers to bullying that occurs through the use of data or computer software accessed through a computer, computer system, computer network or cell phone (or other wireless or cellular communications device).

Categories of Bullying per Reporting Requirements

The following categories are used when reporting incidents of bullying to the Department of Education and may be helpful for schools to better understand these categories when identifying bullying behaviors.

• Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. It includes hitting, kicking, punching, spitting, tripping or pushing, taking or breaking someone’s things, and making mean or rude hand gestures.
• Verbal bullying involves saying mean things. It can include teasing, name-calling, inappropriate sexual comments, taunting or threatening to cause harm.
• Social/relational bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying involves telling other children not to be friends with someone, leaving someone out on purpose, spreading rumors about someone or embarrassing someone in public.
• Electronic/written communication bullying involves cyberbullying, collective or group note writing, and any bullying undertaken through the use of electronic devices (computer, cell phones).

Evaluating Behavior That May Qualify as Bullying

There are several considerations when determining if a student’s behavior meets the definition of bullying:

• History: The history between the individuals. Have there been past conflicts? Have these individuals had a dating relationship? (This may not be considered bullying.)
• Power differential: Is there an imbalance of power? (Power imbalance is not limited to physical strength.)
• Repetition: Has this or a similar incident happened before? Is the individual worried that it may happen again?
• Gang affiliation: Are any of the individuals involved with a gang? (This may result in interventions different from bullying.)

Cyberbullying

• Prevent cyberbullying
• I-KeepSafe.org

Data

Submissions for arrest, bullying and gang data go to the Department of Education and are included on the DOE-ES Report (discipline report) via the DOE Data Center and Reports page with the STN application center data transfer function. Questions related to the submission of this data can be directed to the STN site administrator of each school corporation.

Bullying Data

2023-2024

• 2023-2024 Bullying Data
• Indiana School Safety Staffing, Arrests, & Bullying Report: 2023-2024

2022-2023

• 2022-2023 Bullying Data
• Indiana School Safety Staffing, Arrests, & Bullying Report: 2022-2023

Arrest Data

• Discipline Arrest Report: 2023-2024
• Discipline Arrest Report: 2022-2023

Report Codes

• Arrest Reason Codes
• Firearm Codes

How the Community Can Help

• Community action toolkit
• Understanding the roles of parents and caregivers in community-wide bullying prevention efforts

School Corporation Bullying Prevention Guidance

This section provides guidance to school corporations in the development of bullying prevention programs for the prevention of bullying behavior in schools, in accordance with P.L. 285-2013. Below provides the required content with corresponding statutory requirements. Each school corporation has local control over the content of the bullying prevention programming except that the plan must contain, at a minimum, the following components, as set forth in P.L. 285-2013:

• Development and implementation of a bullying prevention program using age appropriate, research based information (Indiana Code 5-2-10.1-12(d)(1))
• No later than October 15 of each year, each school in the corporation shall provide age appropriate, research based instruction as provided under Indiana Code 5-2-10.1-12(d)(1) focusing on bullying prevention for all students in grades 1 through 12. (Indiana Code 20-30-5-5.5)
• Instruction indicated above should be delivered by a school safety specialist, school counselor or any other person with training and expertise in the area of bullying prevention and intervention. (Indiana Code 20-30-5-5.5)
• Include a definition of bullying as defined in Indiana Code 20-33-8-0.2(a) and that will not be interpreted to impose any burden or sanction on, or include in the definition of the term, any of the actions outlined in Indiana Code 20-33-8-0.2(b)

Recommendations are provided below for the elementary, middle and high school levels. Each section provides a program outline specific to bullying prevention for the targeted level. An overview of developmental characteristics is included to assist with the development of age-appropriate instruction. The outline offers a three-tiered approach when responding to the requirements of P.L. 285-2013:

• (a) tier one minimally meets the requirements of the law,
• (b) tier two builds upon minimum requirements to offer additional program components that contribute to increased program effectiveness, and
• (c) a tier three approach contains all elements of tiers one and two.

Additionally, tier three provides strategies to help schools build a data-driven comprehensive bullying prevention and intervention program. This data-driven programming provides administrators with the information necessary for informed decision-making and continual program improvement that best meets the needs of their students. Resources to aid in your school’s program development are also offered. Please use these resources as you find appropriate.

Recommendations and Best Practices

The following are zipped folders. They will download automatically.

• Introduction and Department of Education enclosure

Elementary School

• Developmental overview and program outline
• Lesson plans and resources

Middle School

• Developmental overview and program outline
• Lesson plans and resources

High School

• Developmental overview and program outline
• Lesson plans and resources

Additional Resources

• CYPRESS lesson plan samples

School Employee Staff Training

One of the key components of P.L. 285-2013 is for school administrators to train all employees and volunteers who have ongoing contact with students regarding the school corporation's bully prevention and intervention policy. The legislation states:

• Sec. 34.2. A school corporation shall provide training to the school corporation's employees and volunteers who have direct, ongoing contact with students concerning the school's bullying prevention and reporting policy adopted under Indiana Code 20-33-8-13.5.

It is important for school employees and volunteers to understand accurate definitions of bullying and school procedures, timetables and expectations for the in-school reporting of observed bullying incidents. Increased employee and volunteer awareness will allow for compliance with the section of P.L. 285-2013 that call for school policy to include:

• Sec. 13.5(iv) timetables for reporting of bullying incidents to school counselors, school administrators, the superintendent, or law enforcement, if it is determined that reporting the bullying incident to law enforcement is necessary
• Sec. 13.5(v) discipline provisions for teachers, school staff, or school administrators who fail to initiate or conduct an investigation of a bullying incident

Policies, Tools and Resources

Some of the following are zipped folders. They will download automatically.

• Addressing bullying as a school counselor (Moodle video)
• Anti-bullying school policy and resources
• Bullied student support
• Follow-up bullying packets and anti-bullying contracts
• Guidance from U.S. Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights
• Indiana School Counselor Association
• PACER National Bullying Prevention Center
• P.L. 285-2013 webinar
• Staff training resources
• StopBullying.gov